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@MebyonKernow members have your say on Europe.

Have your say on the party’s position going into the EU referendum A message from Clive Price-Jones (MK’s representative with the European Free Alliance.)

As you are aware there is an upcoming Referendum proposed by the Government, to decide on our membership of the European Union.

Mebyon Kernow will be holding a Spring Conference on Saturday 2nd April, and one of the key items for discussion will be MK’s official position on the referendum vote.

The National Executive is presently working on a proposal for the Conference and we are keen the hear the views of party members as we produce this document.

Firstly it would be good to remind ourselves of the section of our Manifesto which directly refers to the European Union.

It is our belief that nations and regions throughout the World should work together, but that does not mean we are not critical of how the European Union is presently constituted.

The Europe of today is one of centralisation, limited democratic control, big business and bureaucracy, and MK – along with many other progressive groups in the European Free Alliance – is campaigning for the increased democratisation of the EU, greater transparency and increased Cornish representation.

Mebyon Kernow believes that sovereignty resides with the people, and that responsibility for decision-making should be retained at the most local level possible. Our compelling task is to build a decentralised Europe on this basic principle, which means we must limit the centralisation of powers both to Europe and to the current state capitals such as London and Paris.

We must create a new Europe that is relevant to the needs of ordinary people.

Since Cornwall was recognised as a European region, it has secured significant and much-needed investment through structural funds, including Objective One and Convergence, but over the last five years the cost of EU membership to the UK taxpayer as a whole has quadrupled, which needs to be addressed as part of future reforms.

As mentioned in the Manifesto we are members of the European Free Alliance, which comprises 45 progressive, nationalist, regionalist and autonomist parties. It is a pro-European party, which endorses the European Union values, namely the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. Through membership of this grouping both Mebyon Kernow and the People of Cornwall have a stronger and louder representation with Europe, which would be lost should the UK leave the European Union.

In summary, Mebyon Kernow is fundamentally a pro-European Party and considers that membership of the EU provides us with a stronger platform to argue for the rights of Cornwall and its people. But importantly, we must continue to argue that the EU does need radical reform – as set out in the above manifesto segment.

Please take the time to make your feelings and thoughts known to the NEC and Leadership Team.